1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information recording medium library apparatus having a structure for positioning a drive. More particularly, the present invention relates to a structure for positioning a drive which reads information recorded in an information recording medium and writes information in an information recording medium with respect to a main body for storing and transferring an information recording medium.
This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. Hei 11-74581, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional information recording medium library apparatus, for example, a magnetic tape library apparatus, comprises a main body and a sub body. The main body comprises a storage device such as a storage rack for storing a plurality of information recording media such as a magnetic tape, and a transferring device such as an accesser for automatically transferring the magnetic tape. The sub body is provided with a drive for reading and writing the magnetic tape. In this conventional library apparatus, the accesser accesses the required magnetic tape, and removes it from the storage rack. Then the accesser transfers the magnetic tape to the drive. After the recording or playing back the magnetic tape, the accesser returns the magnetic tape in the storage rack. Such a conventional library apparatus is disclosed in the Japanese Patent Publications, First Publication Nos. Hei 05-174475 and Hei 07-85553. In this type of magnetic tape library apparatus, the accesser must precisely transfer the magnetic tape to the required position. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the positioning accuracy of the drive for the storage-rack provided with the main body. Below, the conventional positioning structure for a drive to the storage rack is explained referring to FIGS. 8 to 12.
As shown in FIGS. 8, 9, and 11, the main body 11 comprises a storage rack (storage means) which is an aggregate comprising a plurality of cells 32 for storing magnetic tapes (information recording medium) (not shown in the Figures), a honeycomb 12 for fixing the cells 32 and positioning a drive 15, and a plurality of stays 13 for guiding the drive 15 into the honeycomb 12. The honeycomb 12 is provided with the main body 11 using a plurality of fixtures 33 and 34. A plurality of protrusions 11a for positioning a magnetic tape drive and controller (abbreviated as xe2x80x9cMC bodyxe2x80x9d below) are fixed in front of the main body 11. Moreover, the stay 13 is fixed to the honeycomb 12. In order to obtain sufficient strength for supporting the drive 15 and sufficient positioning accuracy for positioning the drive 15, the stay 13 is produced by cutting an aluminum block. In addition, the honeycomb 12 is obtained by sandwiching an aluminum member 12a having a honeycomb structure between aluminum plates 12b and 12c, and adhering, the same to integrate them. The honeycomb 12 has a high resistance to stress applied to the surface, a light-weight.
The MC body 14 is used as a sub body. The MC body 14 comprises rails 16 and trays 17. The rails 16 are partially fixed to the MC body 14, and rails 16 retract in the front (indicated by the X-arrow in Figs) and rear direction. The trays 17 are put onto the rails 16. The drive 5 is mounted on the tray 17. A plurality of positioning holes 14a with which a plurality of protrusions 11a formed on the main body 11 engage are formed in the surface opposite to the main body 11 of the MC body 14. As shown in FIG. 10, the drive 5 is put into the tray 17 so that the drive can move in the upper and lower directions and in the left and right directions. In other words, pins 15a provided with the drive 15 are put into U-shaped grooves 17a of the tray 17, and thereby the drive 15 can move upwardly. Moreover, there is an interval S between a flange portion 15d of the pin 15a and the side wall of the tray 17, as shown in FIG. 10C, and thereby the drive 15 can move in the interval S in the left and right direction. The pins 15a prevent the movement of the drive 15 in the front and rear direction, and control the moving distance of the drive 15 in the left and right direction.
In order to position the drive 15 into the main body 11, the position of the MC body 14 is adjusted so that the protrusions 11a formed on the main body 11 are put into the positioning holes 14a of the MC body 14. The MC body 14 contacts the main body 11 and is fixed to it using a plurality of screws 15e. The drive 15 is pushed ahead, that is, in the direction indicated by the X-arrow. Then, bearings 15b of the drive 15 run on the stays 13 provided with the honeycomb 12, as shown in FIG. 9A, and thereby the position of the drive 15 in the vertical direction is fixed. When the drive 15 is pushed further ahead, a positioning pin 15c formed at a bracket 15g provided with the drive 15 is pushed into a positioning hole 13a formed at the stay 13, as shown in FIG. 9B. Then, the drive 15 is fixed to the stay 13 by screwing a screw 15f into a hole 13b formed at the stay 13 through the bracket 15g. Thereby, the position of the drive 15 with respect to the main body 11 is fixed. In this condition, the drive 15 is partially put into the main body 11 through an opening 35 comprising the honeycomb 12, as shown in FIG. 9A.
As explained above, according to the conventional structure for positioning a drive, the MC body 14 is positioned and fixed to the main body 11, and the drive 15 is positioned and fixed to the honeycomb 12. That is, the conventional structure for positioning a drive adopts a double positioning and fixing processes. Therefore, the structure is complicated, and the cost for the structure increases. Specifically, in order to make the drive 15 precisely enter into the opening 35 formed in the honeycomb 12 which supports a plurality of cells 32, the MC body 14 is positioned and fixed to the main body 11. When the drive 15 is positioned and fixed to the honeycomb 12, the bearing 15b of the drive 15 must run on the stay 13. Therefore, the drive 15 must be able to move upward with respect to the tray 17. In addition, in order to put the pin 15c of the drive 15 into the positioning hole 13a of the stay 13, the drive 15 must be able to move to the left and right with respect to the tray 17. As a result, in order to precisely position the drive 15, an expensive honeycomb 12 and the stay 13 are necessary. In addition, the control equipment for the moving distance of the drive 15 with respect to the tray 17 is complicated. Therefore, the cost for the positioning structure increases.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a structure for positioning a drive, which is provided with a library apparatus for information recording media, which can precisely position the drive with respect to the main body, similarly to the conventional structure, and has a simple structure, and a low cost.
According to an aspect of the present invention, the present invention provides an information recording medium library apparatus comprising a main body comprising a storage device for storing a plurality of information recording medium and a transferring device for transferring the information recording medium; and a sub body comprising a drive for reading and information recorded in the information recording medium and writing an information to the information recording medium and a tray for carrying the drive comprising:
a sub body fixing device for positioning and fixing the sub body with respect to the main body
a drive positioning equipment for positioning precisely the drive in the tray,
a drive fixing equipment for fixing the drive in the tray,
abutting portions provided with the tray and the main body for positioning the tray with respect to the main body by abutting the abutting portion provided the tray against the abutting portion provided with the main body, and
an elastic member for pushing the tray to the main body side.
According to the information recording medium library apparatus, the drive is positioned in the tray by the drive positioning equipment, and is fixed to the tray by the drive fixing equipment. Thereby, the position of the drive is fixed in the sub body. The sub body and the main body are positioned and fixed, similarly to the conventional manner. After that, the position of the drive with respect to the main body is fixed by pushing the drive into the main body before the abutting portion provided with the tray abuts the abutting portion provided with the main body. Furthermore, the position of the drive is fixed with the elastic member. The elastic member pushes the tray to the main body. Thereby, the position of the drive in the main body is fixed.
In other words, the position of the drive is fixed in the sub body in advance. Therefore, the position of the drive in the main body is fixed by only positioning the sub body with respect to the main body. The position of the drive with respect to the main body is easily and simply fixed by the library apparatus of the present invention.
In addition, the tray does not move complicatedly in the library apparatus according to the present invention. Therefore, the library apparatus according to the present invention does not need materials having an excellent strength for positioning the drive, such as a honeycomb and an aluminum material.